Friday 10 June 2011

The sacred saath vachaan

Hello friends,


Hinduism being a symbolic religion, most rituals and ceremonies have a symbolic meaning to them 


People following Hinduism believe that if a married couple walks seven steps around the fire of the havankund, they will remain together for the lifetime. Generally, before taking the seven vows, the bride is seated to the right hand side of the groom. After taking the pheras, the bride shifts to the left side of the groom - this symbolizes that she is now closer to his heart. In most of the Hindu weddings, the newly married couple takes seven pheras or rounds, around the sacred fire. In the majority of the seven pheras, the groom leads the first four pheras, while he is preceded by the bride during the last three pheras. But have you wondered why only seven pheras or rounds around fire because number 7 has a great significance:


 let  us know the significance of 7 in this world:
-Seven colours of sunlight.
-Seven notes of music (sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni)
-Seven world above the earth.
-Seven world below  the earth.
-Seven seas and seven islands.
-Seven important matters/ substances.
-Seven important functions (evacuation of excrement, mouth cleaning, bath, meditation, meals, remembering god and sleep)
-Seven respectable ( God, Teacher, Father, Mother, Sun, Fire and Guest)
-Seven evils (Jealousy, anger, affection, malice, greed and bad thoughts.)
-Seven baths (Mantra bath, sun bath, fire bath, air bath, divine bath, mental bath and mercy bath.)
Due to the importance of number seven our divine dignitaries, included seven rounds and seven promises in a wedlock ceremony.Do we the married ones remember the seven pheras : if not, then following are the meaning of seven pheras : lets see how far are we practicing them


The Seven Vows:
Groom:
You will offer me food and be helpful in every way. I will cherish you and provide welfare and happiness for you and our children.
Bride:
I am responsible for the home and all household responsibilities.

Groom:
Together we will protect our house and children.
Bride:
I will be by your side as your courage and strength. I will rejoice in your happiness. In return, you will love me solely.

Groom:
May we grow wealthy and prosperous and strive for the education of our children. May our children live long.
Bride:
I will love you solely for the rest of my life, as you are my husband. Every other man in my life will be secondary. I vow to remain chaste.

Groom:
You have brought sacredness into my life, and have completed me. May we be blessed with noble and obedient children.
Bride:
I will shower you with joy, from head to toe. I will strive to please you in every way I can.

Groom: You are my best friend, and staunchest well-wisher. You have come into my life, enriching it. God bless you.
Bride:
I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I live. Your happiness is my happiness, and your sorrow is my sorrow. I will trust and honor you, and will strive to fulfill all your wishes.

Groom:
May you be filled with joy and peace.
Bride:
I will always be by your side.

Groom:
We are now husband and wife, and are one. You are mine and I am yours for eternity.
Bride:
As God is witness, I am now your wife. We will love, honor and cherish each other forever. 



I m truly blessed like others to have taken these vows with the person whom I love and also who will help me fulfill them :)

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